Herdsmen raping Ebonyi women, desecrating our land – Gov Umahi

The governor of Ebonyi State, Chief David Umahi has accused
herdsmen, especially those domicile at Afikpo North, Onicha and Izzi local
government Areas of the state of assaulting and harassing women sexually.

Umahi made this known while addressing stakeholders of the
state during a peace talk between herders and famers, at the Akanu-Ibiam
International Conference Centre, Abakaliki, capital of Ebonyi State.

He lamented that the herders were defiling the land of
Ebonyi by allegedly forcing the women into sex.

“There is a problem at Igboagu in Izzi LGA and Isu community
in Onicha LGA. I want the chairman of the Miyeti Allah to know that we have a
very strong traditional affinity to wives.

“Any Izzi woman, whether the man is from Izzi or outside
Izzi and he have sex with the Izzi woman in this place, the land is desecrated
and the woman as well is desecrated and cannot return to the husband’s house
again and that is our culture.

“And the man that did it, is not allowed to stay in that
land. It is the same thing in the entire Ebonyi state. So, where there is
raping of women in their farms, is very dangerous.

“That land is cursed and cannot produce any crop again. And
again, if that woman gives anything to the husband to eat, that man must die.

“I will like the chairman of the Miyeti Allah to help me to
solve this problem of that Isu community where a woman was raped in her
husband’s house. He must leave for the land to be cleansed. And the woman also
must leave for the land to be cleansed.

“The land must be cleansed before both the herdsman and the
woman be allowed to comeback to that place again. If both do not leave, people
will start dying in their numbers.

“And of course, if the husband eats anything
from the herder or the woman, the man will automatically die. That is the
culture and the culture is something that is spiritual,” he stated